The Labor enquirer., 1887-05-21
AT ISsuE!
The Great Chicago Building
, Trades Lockout Fairly
Begun.
10000 Workers Will be Denied the
Right 10 Belong to a Labor
Union!

The great strike now on in Chicago of
which every item concerning its progress
is suppressed by the Satanic associated
press monopoly, bids fair 10 be the great
eat struggle the Lake City has yet seen.
In no city in the United States are the
lines so sharply drawn between employer
and employe as now in Chicago. In no
branch OF business is this so clearly shown
as in the building trades. .
Two years ago II was stated upon good
authority that 26,000 men were idle in that
city. The labor leaders, realizing that the
competition of these idle men was forcing
down wages, commenced an energetic
campaign TO organize the men then at
work. The greatest activity was dis
played among the men engaged in the
building trades who felt this competition
most severely. This organization was
carried to every occupation. and reached
the limit when the hod-carriers and com
mon laborers formed union at least nu
merically powerful.
Until n little over year ago these un-
ions encountered little or no organized
opposition. The contractors had nom
inal organization embracing fraction of
their number. The strike of year ago
marked nm epoch in the history of indus
trial affairs In Chicago. II changed the
situation and put new ideas in the heads
Of the bosses. Since that time the master
carpenters have increased from fifty to
four hundred members, the master ma
sons have doubled their membership, and
all the trades represented in the Builders
and Traders Exchange have been
strengthened by large accessions from the
outside contractors, who realized that il
was impossible to stand: alone against
trades unionism.
The trades unions we're not idle in the
meantime. The,uwnkening Of the bosses
did not escape their notice. A new and
important step was taken. The Anal
gamated Building Trades Council was or
ganized, and thirteen trades growing out
of the building business incorporated
themselves into an association pledged TO
consider "the injury of one the concern of
ALL" But one union remained outside of
the combination, and Saturday night no.
tico was given that they must send dele
gates or action would be taken which
would inevitably result in their disrup-
tion. There il no doubt but that the
threat will be Needed and then the organ
ization of the men will be complete. The
thirty-nine delegates who constitute the
council represent constituency of 10000
men.
Wednesday the contractors, who have
systematically followed the tactics of the
men, organized nm association similar to
the Trades Council, with about the same
number of delegates. The fight is be-
tween the two organizations, and will
probably result in the complete annihila-
tion of one of the two. The unions are a
unit in their demands. The following are
few of their demands:
/. The recognition of their union. This
carries with IL the unemployment Of
mon not members of the union.
.. The establishment of the eight-hour
day and no over time under any circum.
stances; Sl00 fine for any violation Of
this clause.
y. Not more than two apprentices to
amy employer, 1t makes no difference how
many men are employed.
A contractor short time ago used n
boycotted article and was fined 5000 by
the Bricklayers' Union. lie paid it.
The Builders and Traders Exchange
affirm rs follows;
lutte personal independence Of the individ-
.ual To work or not to work, to employ or
not to employ, is n fundamental principle
which should never he questioned OF as
sailed that upon 1t depends the security
OF our whole social fabric and business
prosperity, and that employers and work
men should be equally interested in its
defense and preservation.
They will run their own business to
suit themselves"
Thirty thousand men are now out and
more expected within week.
tn. Land League Meeting.
l An t,,menaa anti coercion meeting was